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by alongthedistance
Summary: "Past is past. Look forward, into the future. It doesn't matter what you are now. You're Natsu. Our Natsu. And nothing will ever change that." After defeating Zeref, Natsu's life is upside down and his friends visit him. Submission for Natsu's appreciation day 2015.


**A/N: Hi, myentropicmess talking! This is one of my first oneshots without worshiperofunknown stories and I'm both excited and nervous to share it with you guys! Even if I didn't write with her, she beta read it and helped me a lot as always. This is also my first fic without ships and otp moments and I wanted to focus in Natsu's relationship with the rest of members of Team Natsu in this occasion. I hope you'll enjoy it! ^^**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or its characters, they belong to Mashima sensei! :)**

Natsu was afraid. Afraid of losing himself and hurting his friends. He remembered that time, in Tenrou island, when he learnt from Gildarts that fear wasn't evil but a way to become stronger and kinder. But the fire dragon slayer didn't feel that way anymore. Fear was now paralyzing him, making him weaker and not letting him to move forward. That's why he was lying on the hammock of his house, looking at the ceiling, not being able to exit his house or taking missions because of that feeling.

He remembered when he came back to Magnolia with his guild mates, all cherishing because Zeref, the Black Wizard, was finally defeated. But even if they got their happy ending, Natsu didn't feel it that way. In one of those battles, Zeref revealed that he wasn't a hero but the mightiest demon of all. The most feared creature of the history. Then, the Black Wizard opened the book and Hell broke loose. And the worst was that he was conscious all the time. He hadn't another entity or personality to blame. Rage invaded and blinded him, losing control and hurting the people he loves. Yes, eventually his friends helped him and all ended well, but that didn't make him feel any better. And that didn't end there. After that, nightmares haunted him. Nightmares of fire and blood that made him lose his natural self confidence and positivity. Nightmares that paralyzed him, not being able to go on missions and making him avoid his friends because of being utterly terrified of hurting them.

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't realize that Happy entered the cabin and placed himself flying beside the hammock, looking at the dragon slayer with a worried expression.

"Natsu, what if we go on a mission like the old days? This isn't making you any good. And our friends are missing you…" the Exceed said.

"I told you. I can't go back," he said as he gave Happy his back. He didn't want his friend see him like that. "I want to be alone."

As the fire dragon slayer said that and hid under the blanket, the blue cat went to the upper floort. Happy was right, loneliness wasn't making any good to him, but he was trying to protect everyone from himself.

After what looked like hours, he heard a loud knock that threatened to put down his door and a voice that knew very well.

"OI, FLAMEBRAIN!" Gray cried as he kept knocking. "OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR OR I SWEAR…!"

"Gray! Stop it! You will break the door!" Lucy said, reprimanding him. "Natsu, please… Let us enter… We wanted to see you…."

"You worry us, Natsu-san…" Wendy added.

"We are your friends and we want to help you!" Erza said.

As Happy heard that, he hurried and flied down to open the door ignoring Natsu's warnings and grunts.

Gray, Erza, Lucy and Wendy entered the house, which was messier than ever. Natsu wasn't a tidy person, but this time he had beaten the record. It was even untidier than that time when Lucy wanted to take revenge for invading her room.

The group approached the place where Natsu was lying, facing the wall instead of looking at their faces.

"Well, you look like shit…" Gray said, getting closer to the hammock.

"You're coming here just to mess with me?" Natsu huffed, covering himself with the blanket.

"No. We came here because we were worried about you, pointy eyes. And, well, it was a good idea to come here, seeing that you're as bad as I imagined. The old Natsu probably would hit me and start a fight for that commentary," the ice mage added.

"You don't understand," the fire dragon slayer said.

"Yes, we do. But keeping yourself in the dark won't help you," Lucy added.

"Friends, on the other hand… We can give light into your darkness and support you," Erza said.

"It's not the same without you…" Wendy whispered, looking at her feet.

Natsu slowly changed his position and put off the blanket. As he did that, he saw his friends around the hammock, waiting for him to talk. Suddenly, he felt warmness invading his chest and realized that he missed that: Being with his friends, going on adventures… But where to start telling them about what's on his mind? He wasn't used to tell about his feelings, because he was the type of person that, in order to avoid people worrying about him, he kept his suffering to himself.

"What happened… I'm afraid to lose myself again… And hurt all of you. That's why I was avoiding you. That's all," he said as he looked to the floor. "I know it's stupid, but…"

"It's not. I remember when I was in my darkest hours and you stormed in that dark guild to take me back," Gray added. "I was ashamed of myself, because of giving in into the darkness. I thought I was not worthy and that I shouldn't come back. But you trusted in me and that's why I'm here."

"But… After what I did and what I am… I'm not trustworthy anymore…" Natsu whispered.

"Who says that? You trusted in all of us when no one else did. You saved and helped so many people… And for one happening you will stop trusting in yourself?" Lucy said as she looked at his eyes. "The Natsu we all know wouldn't stop fighting, even if the world is against him. He showed us that everything is possible if we work together and we trust in our power. Don't you ever forget that."

"He showed us that all people deserve a second chance to start again," Erza said, remembering how after Jellal had his memory back and was sorry for what he did, Natsu forgave him, and did the same with other villains that regretted their previous actions. "And you won't be an exception. Past is past. Look forward, into the future. It doesn't matter what you are now. You're Natsu. Our Natsu. And nothing will ever change that."

As Natsu heard his friend's words, he didn't feel lonely anymore. Even if he was the most dangerous demon, there they were. Not afraid of him. Trusting in him like he trusted in them in so many occasions. That wasn't a situation that had to be handled alone. His friends were with him, and they would solve it. Together.

That warmness that started in his chest, invaded the rest of his body and, this was the first time he really felt at home since he got back. He felt tears coming to his eyes and a smile forming on his lips.

"Thank you, everyone."

"Why are you sitting in my spot?! If I don't eat on my bench, my meal won't sit well with me!" Gray cried.

"I can sit wherever I want, and I don't care about your digestive habits! You stole my food the other day so, find your own!" Natsu yelled.

"I didn't steal anything, I told you! Get out of my sit!"

"I don't want to!"

"I will give you a trashing, flamebrain!"

"As if I would let you, ice popsicle!"

After that visit Gray, Erza, Lucy and Wendy made to the fire dragonslayer some weeks ago, things went back to normal in Fairy Tail. Lucy was talking about her last novel with Levy, Wendy was talking with Porlyusica about wanting to learn more about heath care in the future, Gajeel was picking a new mission and discussing it with Pantherlily, Juvia was cheering Gray as he was fighting with Natsu, and Erza was standing up to separate them. "Everything is back to normal," Lucy thought as she saw the scene.

"What are you smiling at, Lucy?" Natsu grinned, as he looked at her direction while he was being separated from Gray by Erza.

"It's good to have you back," she replied.

He didn't know how much he missed being not only with his team, but with his guild mates until he entered the building. The constant noise, the missions, the loud chatting, the fighting… He missed the warmth of his family, but he was finally back.

He was finally at home.


End file.
